Henry Kissinger: World reacts to death of America’s ‘beloved war criminal’

Former US diplomat Henry Kissinger's death has sparked reflection across the world. Kissinger's footprint left an indelible mark on US foreign policy, advancing US interests overseas, albeit with many controversies that continue to mire his legacy.

At the height of his career, Kissinger served as a top diplomat and security advisor to presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

Nevertheless, controversy has followed Kissinger throughout.

His detractors accused him of war crimes and human rights abuses, claiming his influence while in office prolonged the Vietnam War, enabled genocides in Asia, fuelled civil wars in Southern Africa and backed coup d'etat and death squads in Latin America.

Among his European critics, Irish Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard called Kissinger "an imperial exceptionalist" and said on X, formerly Twitter.

"He was undoubtedly one of the worst war criminals of the 21st century," added Hazzard.

In North America, well-renowned scholar Norman Finkelstein labelled Kissinger "a monster."

Hebh Jamal, a Palestinian journalist, echoed the sentiments, insisting "the only tragedy about Henry Kissinger's death is that he was never put before an international criminal court to answer for his war crimes: being responsible for the murder of millions."

"From Cambodia to Argentina, to Chile to the Middle East, I'm sure he will not be forgotten," she added.

Charlie Angus, a Member of the House of Commons of Canada, shared a photo of Kissinger and Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet who overthrew democratically-elected socialist President Salvador Allende sharking hands.

Analysts believe Kissinger played a destabilising role in Latin America, notably in Bolivia, Uruguay and Argentina.

"The devil has come to collect his due," Angus added on X.

However, among his supporters, Kissinger is largely regarded as having a positive influence on shaping US foreign policy and has received eulogies from prominent figures domestically.

In the US, Mike Bloomberg American businessman, paid tribute to Kissinger

"Nobody in our country exercised more influence over global affairs over a longer period of time than Henry Kissinger, and his death is a loss for our country and the world – and for all of us who were fortunate enough to call him a dear friend and mentor," he said.

Overseas prominent officials such as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida praised the diplomat.

Xie Feng, the 12th Chinese Ambassador to the United States, noted Kissinger's pivotal role in fostering relations with China and laying the foundations for a landmark visit by former President Richard Nixon.

"He will always remain alive in the hearts of the Chinese people as a most valued old friend," Feng wrote on X.

But for analysts like S.L. Kanthan, the former top US official "symbolised peak American Empire."

Taking a dim view on Kissinger, whose brand of policy-making became known as 'realpolitik', Kanthan described his approach as "violent geopolitics for the sake of power."

Experts suggest that Kissinger's approach was predicated on maximising the US economic and military power through transactionalism - with less importance to moral and ethical considerations.

"Human beings meant nothing to Kissinger, who supported depopulation programs & genocides," Kanthan said.

He added that Kissinger's "Nobel prize for peace shows how corrupt and evil the Western system is."

Others touched upon what they said was the darker chapter in history.

Others were quick to point out the bloodshed they say the former US diplomat contributed towards.

"Henry Kissinger's bombing campaign likely killed hundreds of thousands of Cambodians — and set (a) path for the ravages of the Khmer Rouge," Sophal Ear, a scholar at Arizona State University studying Cambodia's political economy, wrote in The Conversation.

As Nixon sought to bring about the end to the war, Kissinger allegedly ordered bombings in Cambodia and Laos to hit Hanoi's supplies. Reports say Kissinger approved 3,875 bombing raids.

Human Rights Watch said the bombings left around 350,000 Laotian civilians and 600,000 Cambodian civilians dead.

"The cluster bombs dropped on Cambodia under Kissinger's watch continue to destroy the lives of any man, woman or child who happens across them," Ear said.

Some online remembered the famous words of American chef and author, Anthony Bourdain. While searching for culinary delights, Bourdain travelled far and wide to different continents, meeting people and learning about their experiences. Online users recalled the chef's words: "Once you've been to Cambodia, you'll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands."

Other publications have shared their take on the divisive former US official's legacy.

"Henry Kissinger, war criminal beloved by America's ruling class, finally dies," was the headline that Rolling Stone, a prominent magazine focusing on popular culture, music and politics, led with.

Some publications like the Intercept, an online American nonprofit news organisation, went with the headline "Henry Kissinger, Diplomat Responsible for Millions of Deaths, Dies at 100."

Jacobin, an American political magazine based in New York, described Kissinger as "one of the twentieth century's most prolific butchers died as he lived — beloved by the rich and powerful, regardless of their partisan affiliation".

The Party for Socialism and Liberation in the US called Kissinger a "war criminal", adding that "from Vietnam to Indonesia to Chile — Kissinger was responsible for some of the most infamous atrocities of the US empire".

Peace, Land, and Bread - a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal of revolutionary theory and practice said, "Kissinger's death is a reminder that the world does not remove nor punish murderers and genocidaires—this we must do ourselves."

Kissinger was born Heinz Alfred Kissinger on 27 May 1923 in the northern Bavarian city of Furth in Germany. In 1938, his Jewish family fled to the US to escape Nazi persecution.

About five years later, Kissinger became a naturalised US citizen and served in the army between February 1943 and July 1946.

After his wartime service, he graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1950, then received his MA and PhD degrees from Harvard University in 1952 and 1954.

He taught at Harvard University before moving into the realm of foreign policy. In 1969, then-U.S. President Nixon selected Kissinger to become a National Security Advisor, pursuing nationalist interests.

In 1974, he was credited for so-called 'shuttle diplomacy', defusing tensions in the Middle East that eventually contributed to the 1975 Sinai Accord, as Israel and Egypt agreed to end the war.

In 1977, Kissinger left office to work at Georgetown University before returning to government service in 1985 after being selected for the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board in the Reagan administration.

After leaving office, the retired diplomat has enjoyed economic rewards, providing consultancy services to enterprises in China and advocating in favour of China and away from current US foreign policy.

According to some estimates, Kissinger is rumoured to hold a net worth of $50 million, largely gained through his ties to the International consultancy firm Kissinger Associates.

In 2002, President George W Bush chose Kissinger to chair the independent inquiry into events around the terrorist attacks on the US in September 2001.

However, following his stake in his consultancy firm, he stepped down when questions about a possible conflict of interest were raised.